The effects of stress on reproductive function are poorly understood. Yet it is commonly acknowledged that stress and the resulting activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis are frequently accompanied by reproductive dysfunction in many species. We propose to examine the acute effects of exogenous glucocorticoids, ACTH, and CRH in normal women. We hope to provide new insights into the interaction between the HPA and the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axes and may help explain one of the major causes of amenorrhea.